Fates Entwined: A Supernatural Fiction Challenge
by holdeverysong
Summary: Tales of a spirit terrorizing a family lure Sam and Dean to Methuen, Massachusetts, where they meet Zara and Laine. WinchestersOFC's.
1. Chapter 1: Twilight

Methuen, Massachusetts. It wasn't a humble town, but it certainly wasn't modest, either. Somewhere in between the two. There were bars and hotels and everything in between, but it wasn't as well known as Boston or anywhere else. It was a nice place to relax after a long night of hunting a spirit that we couldn't seem to find. We'd been told it was in the Desrosiers house, apparently an old descendent who didn't like one of the Desrosiers daughters, Elaine, and tried to kill her on a day to day basis. She'd escaped so far, but every second we wasted trying to find the place was a second that this girl was at risk of being spirit food. Well, not really food, but…it was just as ugly.

I looked down the bar at the dive Dean had chosen to go to that night. He was a seat away from me, hitting on a very unresponsive female bartender. The look on her face amused me. She looked like she could either slap him or give him a swift kick in the balls, either of which would have been amusing to watch. Unfortunately for me, though, she took the high road simply walked away, her nose in the air a little. I tried not to laugh as Dean looked at me, seemingly offended. "What do you expect, dude. You used the 'do you know karate' line!" I rolled my eyes. "Even for you, that's pathetic."

He scoffed and crossed his arms at his chest, looking out around the bar. "Well, it's worked before, believe it or not. Now I have to scope this place for someone else, though, before she goes off and tells all the women to watch out for me. So, if you don't mind…" he stood up and started to walk around. I swear, he was strutting like a tomcat. And it made me sick.

I looked at him and sighed. "All right, Dean. But I'm going to walk home, dude. I don't think I can handle too much of watching you get shut down. It starts to get depressing after awhile…" I half smiled, then watched the annoyed glance Dean was giving me. Yes, that, right there, made the whole evening worth it. I handed the bartender that Dean was harassing a twenty and smiled. "Keep the change. You deserve it, having to deal with guys like my idiot brother…" I offered up.

She smiled and nodded her head. "Thank you…hard to believe you two came from the same gene pool."

I laughed and nodded my head in agreement. "I constantly find myself saying the same thing. Just, give him a good punch if he messes with you too much, okay?" I suggested as I made my way to the door, and with a smile to the bartender, I opened the door and headed toward the hotel Dean and I were staying at. Call me a freak (and there were many reasons that you could, so I would completely understand), but I liked to walk around at night. It had a calming effect on my nerves. I even took an extra loop around the block that night so I could go through the park.

Methuen had a nice park, especially at night. It was bathed in the light of the full moon, _Full moon. Take note, Sam. Watch for werewolves._ and it looked absolutely beautiful. The fountain had small twinkles of the moon in it, and the fog from the light rain earlier that evening was lifting, causing the fountain to be sort of steaming. I smiled and kept walking, but I kept a sharp eye and ear for anything abnormal. And I was glad I did. Because no sooner had I rounded the corner into the atrium, than I heard a scream from the about a hundred yards away. I reached beneath my jacket and pulled my gun, then rushed forward, to see a woman, cowering in the shadows beneath a tree, with a somewhat large animal stalking at her. "Yep. Full moon. Werewolf…" I reached into my inside jacked pocket and pulled out an emergency stock of silver bullets, unloading and reloading my gun, aiming and firing at the were wolf, then watching carefully for any of it's family members.

The woman squeaked and jumped from her spot, when the gun went off, and she ran around to hide behind the tree. I took a couple steps toward the tree, putting the safety back on my gun and putting it back in my pocket, then looking around to the side the woman had gone to. "Are you okay, Miss?"

She looked at me like I was going to eat her face, and took a couple of steps back, tripping over her own foot and falling to the grass. "Don't come any closer. I swear it!" she threatened me, though there was nothing she could use to hurt me, and she'd just demonstrated that with the werewolf.

I put my hands in the air. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you, I swear. I'm Sam…" I offered my hand out, realizing fully that I'd given my real name, rather than the aliases Dean and I usually offered. But, I figured that this girl was panicking, so she deserved the comfort of knowing who she was talking to. "Did that thing bite you?"

She took a step forward, but didn't accept my handshake. She was beautiful. Mid-back-length blonde hair, deep brown eyes and a pair of automatically pursed pink lips, and flawless porcelain skin. She looked…too perfect to be real. She even had designer clothes on. She looked like a model out of some fashion magazine. "No. It didn't…" she told me, and brushed off her jean jacket. "And I'm Zara."

Zara. She even had an exotic name. Go figure. I looked around. "Do you live around here? Or, can I walk you home? Just to make sure you get there all right?" I asked as I looked around. Werewolves always traveled in packs, and I didn't find it safe for her to walk home alone in conditions like these.

She looked at me like I was some kind of saint. "Really?" she asked, running a hand through her hair and smiling a little. She was even prettier when she smiled. "It's kind of a trek, and I'm not supposed to be out, so my daddy might accuse you of kidnapping…" she rolled her eyes. "But I'll set him straight, I promise. Thanks, Sam."

Great. Daddy? What in the hell had I gotten myself into here? She was some rich bitch, and I was going to be shot on site as soon as I crossed into her property. I ran a hand through my hair. So, I'd told her I'd do it. I couldn't very well go back on it now. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled a little. "It's no problem," I started in the direction that she was leading me. "So, how long had that…" I was going to say werewolf, but I realized that to her, it probably wouldn't be as…normal as it was to me. "…thing…been following you?"

She looked at me, a little surprise on her face. "Um, since I walked into the park, I think…" she shrugged her shoulders. "What was that, anyway? It didn't look like a normal wolf or a dog or anything. It almost looked like a cross between a human and a dog…"

I half-laughed. Was I supposed to tell her that she'd been stalked by a werewolf? Most people wouldn't believe, or want to believe that. I cleared my throat. "Truth?" I asked as I looked over my shoulder, making sure there were no more late night park-goers. And when I looked back, the intrigued look and nod on Zara's face brought a smile to mine. "And you'll believe me?" I asked.

She chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. "What you're going to say can't be any worse than what I was thinking, so yeah, I'd more than likely believe anything at this point…" she hugged her jacket even closer to her as a sudden chill came over the formerly warm Methuen night.

I bit my lip and blushed. I don't know why I was going to tell her this, but something about Zara was…easy to trust. I felt she might…actually believe me. "That was a werewolf…" I said softly as I watched a shocked expression befall Zara's face, but she didn't say anything to indicate that she didn't believe me, which was a pleasant surprise. She didn't holler that I was insane, either.

She simply raised an eyebrow. "Really? Wow, I…thought I was just imagining things…" she looked back over her shoulder as we retreated from the dead werewolf carcass on the ground. "And I also thought I was the only one alive who believed that they exist! My sister told me that she was going to have me committed but, I knew all along!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought you were going to laugh me off the face of the Earth!" I looked up and down the road as we came to the side entrance to the park. "So, where to from here?" I asked her, feeling a little less wary of the trek before me. At least the company wouldn't suck.

She shook her head. "No, no, I wouldn't laugh. I've always believed in all that type of stuff. It's like, people are naïve enough not to realize that there are creatures and beings other than your standard humans and animals. But I'm not…I've always wanted to prepare myself for an attack, but my daddy thinks I'm being ridiculous, and my sister, although she knows better than to discard the 'theories,' as daddy calls them she's just as bad as daddy…" she rolled her eyes. "If she had seen what I just went through, she'd sing a different tune…" she turned left outside of the gate and led me down a crowded street.

I ran a hand through my hair and raised an eyebrow. So, she was a 'supernatural buff,' huh? I wondered if she had any clue whatsoever how to adequately prepare herself for something like an angry spirit's attack. Probably not. "Most people aren't very open minded, no…" I shrugged my shoulders and looked around at the people. "Which is why we should probably not talk about this until we're in someplace a little…less bustling."

She nodded her head and looked up at me. "So, daddy is the mayor, so I know just about everyone in town. But I don't think I've met you…" she shrugged her shoulders and looked me over.

Christ, I must have looked like the garbage the cat dragged in. We'd just gotten into Methuen that night, after a really long, grueling battle with an angry wendigo, who had tried (and almost succeeded) to eat me alive. Had Dean not come in at the very moment he did, Sam Winchester would have been history. Well, not history, because it wouldn't have been written, but the general consensus would have been…me toasted. So, yes, I looked like something the cat dragged in, chewed up and spat out again. My face was scratched, my hair was tousled and I was walking with a slight limp from when the Wendigo had bitten my leg, then dug at it, while inhabiting a young child. Basically, I looked a tragedy. "No, no, I'm not from around here. I'm kind of…a traveler…" I wasn't going to tell her I was a hunter. Like Dean always said, some things were best kept close to the heart. I ran a hand through my hair and looked down at her.

She really didn't seem like a…normal rich girl. No, she wasn't afraid of me the way I looked. Although she, in her designer pink top and jeans with the ripped knees, walking around town in high-heels in the middle of the night, looked like she had just left a casual party or something. The looks we were getting were…interesting. To the bystanders, I must have looked like a kidnapper. But she wasn't objecting to me walking her home, so they could kiss my ass. She ran a hand through her hair and smiled. "Really? Where were you before?"

I shrugged my shoulders and half-smiled. "Harrisburg, Pennsylvania…" I chuckled. One of our shorter travels, actually. I remembered going from Montana to Florida once. I swear, Dean had only slept one or two hours in that long amount of time, and his driving, nearer to the end of the trip, scared me to death. But we, and the Impala, were still in one piece. So it was all right. "It's a huge town, compared to this."

She nodded, her eyes widening in an amused expression which I really found adorable. "Yeah, I know! I hate big cities like that! I remember once, daddy and I went to Harrisburg, and I got lost. I had to call daddy's chauffer and ask him where I was…I felt so stupid…" she looked at me and blushed a little. "I'm not stupid, I swear. I just…"

I shook my head and waived off her defense. "No, we all have our moments. I understand…" I looked at the three-way intersection we were at now, and that on the other side of the road was a ledge, that overlooked a rather large patch of forest. In the distance, I saw a house that, from the distance I was at, looked tiny. But, it…must have been huge, in actuality.

She pointed at that very house and smiled. "That's where we're headed. I know, it's a long journey. I know a shortcut…but…it's through the woods, and there could be more…you know, out tonight…" she looked down at the woods below us and shrugged her shoulders.

I showed her my gun and emergency stock of silver bullets, beneath my jacket. "I think we'll be all right, so long as we notice them, and neither of us gets sliced. Not that I'm in a rush, I just figure, walking in those shoes must be killer…" I looked down at her feet, and then back to her face, and smiled.

She returned my smile and nodded her head. "Yeah, you don't even know the half. Thanks, Sam. Let's go…" she walked around the guard rail, to where there was a trail on the other side, and beckoned me to follow her.

I knew it was going to be a long night. What I didn't know was that it was going to be a long week…


	2. Chapter 2: Bella Luna

The woods were clouded over with more fog than was normal for a night in the summer. It was pretty, but eerie at the same time, because it felt…almost ominous in nature. But Sam and I trudged on, despite both of our better judgment, and after a mile or so, my poor feet were throbbing to the point that I thought any more walking would cause my ankles to give way. I paused and leaned my hand against a tree, putting my weight against that, instead of on my poor toes. Yes, it was stupid of me to wear heels outside of the house, but I didn't know I was going to almost be killed by a werewolf and suddenly have a very tall, dark and handsome man walk me home. Had I know that, I would have searched through the closet for a pair of hiking boots. Or at least flats. I probably looked like a prissy little princess, and Sam was probably having an inward laugh fest at my expense. I sighed and watched as Sam turned to look at me. "I'm sorry, Sam. Really. I know I'm an idiot for wearing these shoes. But I had no clue that I was going to be--"

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, smiling at me. "I know you didn't. We can take a short break. I need to make a phone call, anyway," he said softly, taking his cell phone from his pocket, and pushing a button.

I huffed out a relieved sigh and plopped onto the nearest tree-stump, taking my shoes off and bending, then flexing my feet. It felt almost like a massage in itself. I took a glance at Sam, and then looked back down at the ground. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, really, but there was no one else to talk to, and I wasn't going to talk to myself, so it sort of came across that way, even though I really, REALLY wasn't.

"No, Dean, I am not going to…SHUT UP!" he shouted in frustration. I'd thought initially that he was going to call his girlfriend or something, but when he said the name Dean? Roommate, maybe? "Dude, I'll be back later tonight, okay? SHUT UP! Yeah. Whatever. Later," he closed his phone and looked back at me, red rising into his cheeks. "Um. Sorry about that."

I shook my head and watched as he made his way toward a rock that was close to the tree stump that I was on and practically plopped onto a rock a couple feet from where I was sitting. I smiled at him. "Nothing to be sorry about. Best friend?" I asked him as he put his cell phone back into his pocket.

He shook his head and laughed a little, and part of me wondered what was so funny, but I wasn't going to ask, especially since he opened his mouth to answer as soon as I thought of asking. "No, no. It would make life easier, though. Big brother. He thinks every time I talk to a girl I'm going to…um…forget I said anything…" he bit his lower lip as a bit of red rose to his cheeks.

I laughed a little. "It's okay. A lot of people think that about me, really…" I leaned down and took my shoes off again. Since we were sitting here for awhile, I figured that then was as good of a time as any to let my poor feet breathe. "I'm not a bad person, though. I mean…" I paused. What was I doing? Why did I feel…comfortable telling Sam things that I hadn't told anyone in my entire life? I chuckled. "You could have shut me up at any point there, you know that, right?" I half-smiled, looking down at my feet.

He shook his head and smiled a little. "No, that's all right. And I don't judge people. Dean does, but I don't. Dean's my brother, by the way…" he smiled. He was still looking at me. And though it was strange, it wasn't exactly unwelcome. What kind of woman would I be if I didn't welcome an attractive man looking at me? I was about to open my mouth to respond when I heard a loud howling from behind us. Close behind us. I didn't need to be told what that was, given that it was a full moon, and what had just happened to me, and the second I heard it, I was cramming my feet back into my shoes, and Sam and I were up and running again. I'd gotten quite efficient in running in heels over the years, I had to say, and I managed, somehow, to keep up with the taller, stronger Sam.

I heard him shoot his gun behind us and started running faster, trying to keep away from the werewolf that was apparently closing in. And as I paused in a panic when I saw that we were coming toward a river. "Sam!" I shouted, trying to call his attention from the werewolf behind us. I heard him shout out in both fear and aggravation, and then felt a sharp tug on my arm, as he made me change direction. Now, we were running off the beaten path, chased by a crazed, bloodthirsty werewolf. And it was becoming more and more obvious by the second that I wasn't going to make it home that night.

I was still running, intent on keeping it that way, when I felt Sam practically pummel me to the ground and sneak into what looked almost like a foxhole beneath a giant tree. I don't think I'd ever been so thankful for fox in my life, because as we sat underneath the tree, the werewolf kept running, and when I saw the feet pass by us, I momentarily tensed up. I stayed tensed, even after it continued by, and my tension only increased when I heard it howl--which was closely followed by a chorus of more howls. "What do we do now?" I asked as I looked at Sam. Now, I may not have been a snooty little princess, but sitting underneath a tree, in very cramped, dirty quarters with a total stranger until the sun came up was not near the top on my list of things to do in my life. So, if he said anything like that, I'd be liable to slap him. If I could make my hand turn that way, that is.

He turned his head to look at me and bit his lower lip. "Well, we can't stay out there all night…we need to find a safe place to hide, I think…and I'll take you home in the morning…" he offered, peering his head out of the foxhole and looking around.

I turned my body and followed his lead. If there were any bystanders, that would have been extremely amusing, I was sure. Two heads poking from beneath a tree, neither of the attached bodies moving from their spot. But, I continued scanning the area, until my eyes fell upon a rock formation…with what looked like a cave inside. "I wonder if that cave is empty. I mean…it may not be a nice warm bed, but it sure as hell beats a foxhole, doesn't it?" I asked as I pointed toward the formation and looked at him hopefully. I was almost sure that it was a stupid idea and he was going to shut it down, but he actually seemed to be considering it.

He nodded his head and got out of the foxhole, reaching his hand down to help me out, too. I took it and crawled out, then looked at him, somewhat surprised. "We'll just have to be on the lookout for animals, is all. Like bears or wolves or things that live in caves. That means sleeping in shifts. Or not sleeping…" he shrugged his shoulders.

I looked at him and sighed a little. "I don't think I'll be sleeping anyway. I mean, tonight has been an ordeal. I think it'll be a miracle if I sleep for the next three years. I'll be like Al Pacino in Insomnia. I can stay awake, if you're tired…" I thought about the situation, then ran a hand through my hair. I had never handled a gun in my life. I'd wanted to learn, but daddy had said it was unnecessary. I brought up the scenario of a robbery, but he put his foot down. "I mean, I probably would be of no help whatsoever, since I've never handled a gun in my life. But I'll…" I sighed. "I'm so sorry, Sam."

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "Don't be, okay? You're not doing anything bad. I'll stay up with you…" he smiled sweetly. "It wasn't like you knew this was going to happen, right? I'm kind of an insomniac, anyway. It's no big deal, and I offered, so really, I don't mind. Let's just make a run for it, okay?"

I nodded, and we did. We ran a little slower now, though, as there was no giant werewolf on our tails. It was more of a 'fast jog.' Once we got to the mouth of the little cavern, I looked at him and half-smiled. "We made it alive, what do you know?" I presented the cave to him with my hands. "After you."

He chuckled and climbed into the cave, and though this, too, was a little cramped, the entrance was too small for a werewolf to climb into. He reached his hand through after he got in and helped me climb up and through the hole, which was good, because with high-heels, there would have been no hope for me on my own. I put my feet down on the other side and looked at him, as he smiled sweetly. "Safety. Quite an odd concept, wouldn't you think?"

I laughed and looked around, though I couldn't see a thing. "Yeah, though some light would be fab--" I paused when I saw Sam's face suddenly light up, and looked down to his hand to see a miniature, pocket flashlight. "Okay, that works, too. So, what now?"

He shrugged and looked around. "I mean, we might want to sit, but not on the floor…and we might want to keep quiet because…" he pointed the flashlight up to the ceiling, and I wanted to gasp. Bats. Dozens of bats.

I hated bats. I was bitten by a bat when I was five, and had to go to the hospital because of some disease transmitted through the bite. "Oh my God…" I backed toward the exit. "Okay, I need to look for another place for us to…I can't do this…" I was freaking out, but I really couldn't help it. I felt Sam's hand on my arm and calmed down a little, but not enough. "I…have to…"

He shook his head and showed me a slightly concerned look. "Relax, okay?" he whispered with a half-smile. "The more you panic, the more likely they are to freak out on you. Just…let them go about their bat sleep and we can just…keep our voices like this."

I swallowed hard and nodded my head, following Sam's lead to a spot on the rock that looked like a chair. We both sat, and although I barely knew him, I felt a little safer leaning against him. So, my head was against his shoulder, though my body was still tense and my heart was still pounding. "Thank you…for everything. Really, Sam…" I said gently to him.

He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "It's nothing. Everyone needs someone to help them once in awhile, right?" he leaned back against the wall of the cave and sighed softly. He really felt like this was nothing? Really? Because it was something…and something huge. No one had ever been this kind to me without an agenda. I'd just have to repay him. Somehow. I was sure I could find a way.


	3. Chapter 3: She Floats

I felt my heart pounding in my throat as I ran throughout Methuen Park looking for Zara. I had trusted her to stay in the park until I fucking came back for her, and now Jayson and I were stuck looking around town for her. I mean, she was a capable woman. But daddy wouldn't know that, would he? No. She probably just didn't want to be home. Though, I didn't fully understand that logic, because everyone in Methuen wanted to be at the Desrosiers Estate. Everyone, that is, except for one of the Desrosiers daughters. I loved my little sister about as much as I loved breathing. I did. Really. But she had the street capability of Paris Hilton. She was smart, don't get me wrong, but when it came to associating with people, she got lost. She was in this fantasy world where…she was convinced that vampires and werewolves, ghosts and spirits existed. It was insane. So, we'd lost three or four maids over the past year, that could be coincidence. Right? That didn't mean that there was a curse on the estate.

I sighed and walked up to Jayson. "I'm sorry, baby. I know you don't want to spend your Friday looking for my little sister. But daddy is freaking out and he really wants her home…I promise, I'll make it up to you…" I told my fiancé, noticing the evident annoyance on his face. It wasn't my fault that Zara had run off. But, the annoyance was directed toward me, as ever. Sometimes I wondered why I was with the man, but he worked in the law firm representing daddy, and he wouldn't have me with anyone else, so long as he was breathing. No way. And if I wanted my inheritance, I had to stay with Jayson Prescott.

Jayson shifted from foot to foot like an impatient five year old. It was annoying how immature he was. How could an idiot like that have graduated law school? Really? "Do we really care whether Zara makes it home or not? Really? I mean, she is a big girl…" he scoffed. He and Zara always had shouting matches. Zara thought she was protecting me, but no. It caused stupid, unnecessary arguments between Jay and I, and they really, really weren't worth it. Though seeing him be talked down to by a twenty-two-year-old was always fun.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Yes. I'd like to know where my sister is, Jay, baby. So, can we get moving before she's the top story on the six o'clock news?" I asked him, taking a few steps backward, away from him, hoping he'd follow. I swear by God, sometimes I felt like I was in a Disney Princess movie, when it came to Zara. She always ran off at the most inconvenient times, and came home with some crazy adventure to tell us about. Well, tell me about, because daddy wouldn't hear it. Some of the things she came up with were pretty good, though. I could see her as being a fantasy writer.

Jayson wasn't moving though. "Can I just go home, Lainey? Please? I don't wanna stay here. It's hot out and I'm really tired…I'd really like to--"

I huffed out an annoyed sigh. "FINE! Fine. Fucking go. I'll find a way home, okay? Go relax and I'll look for my fucking sister. Just leave…" I commanded, and watched as he…actually did. What an asshole. I turned around and stomped off. "Zara?!" I shouted through the park. "ZARA PRISCILLA DESROSIERS, WHERE IN THE HELL ARE YOU?" I looked around, then turned around and walked backward a few steps. "IF THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR GAMES I SWEAR TO GOD I AM GOING TO FLIP OUT, Z!" I was about to turn around, when I felt a harsh bump against my back, and would up in the grass. "Seriously, can you fucking watch where you're going?" I asked as I rolled over onto my back and looked up at the person…the man who knocked me over.

He looked at me and chuckled a little. As if this was amusing. "Sorry. I just…heard you calling to someone and thought I'd try to help. Rick Astley. Private Investigator…" he told me, offering a hand to help me from the floor.

I raised an eyebrow and took his hand, catapulting off the ground. "Rick Astley? As in, like, the eighties singer? Hi. Elaine Desrosiers. Call me Laine…" I half-smiled. Though I was still slightly amused by the name, I needed the help, since Jay had just left my high and dry, and daddy refused to lend a hand. He called it teaching Zara a lesson. I called it idiocy. I looked at Detective Astley and smiled. "Yeah, actually, I could use the help. My little sister. Well, not little; she's twenty-two. She's gone missing. She…looks like me, except her hair is longer and she is shorter. She's younger, too. Zara Desrosiers…"

He thought for a second and shrugged his shoulders. "When and where did you see her last?" he asked with a concerned look on his face. And in that second, I was eternally grateful that I had…bumped into him. "And what was she wearing…" he pulled a small notebook from his back pocket and scribbled something down.

I looked toward the dance club across the street. "I went into Nitro, and she didn't want to come, but we agreed to meet up outside of the club at one a.m.," I remembered the scenario. "She said she was going to hang around in the park. She was wearing a pink, spaghetti strapped shirt and a denim jacket with light blue jeans. And high heels. I waited outside the club at one and she wasn't there. I waited until three…" I sighed. "She does this a lot, Detective Astley. She thinks that things like zombies and vampires and werewolves exist. And she makes up these stories…" I shook my head. "She's not crazy. Really. She's a really sweet person and she's…I'm just worried."

He shook his head and his hazel-green eyes showed a deep, compassionate look. "It's okay, Laine. And call me De--Rick. If she thinks that these things exist…and she comes up with stories about them, maybe a wise place to start looking would be the woods? It was a fool moon last night and werewolves do come out on full moons…" he paused. "…or so they say."

De--Rick? De…was Rick his real name? I raised an eyebrow and ran a hand through my hair. I was about to ask, when he interjected with his, very good, point. "I'd like to come with you, if I could. But…if I could get a ride to my place to change out of this…club getup, I'd be grateful for that, too. I'll pay you handsomely…" I pleaded with my eyes. That was a good thing that came along with the Desrosiers charm. The ability to talk almost anyone into almost anything.

Rick nodded and brushed a hand over his hair. He looked like something was worrying him, too. Was he that worried about Zara? Because really, someone that passionate about their job deserved a promotion. He looked at me and smiled. "No extra charge. I want to help you find your sister, okay? Just…don't go spreading it around town."

I nodded my head and smiled sweetly at him. Well there. A PI who wasn't an absolute sleaze. Maybe I'd have to hire him once again, if the need ever arose. "I won't…" I laughed a little and followed him to his car. A nice, black Chevy Impala. Too bad I was already engaged, because if I pulled up in that car, daddy might just change his mind about Jay. PI's made decent money, right? That was daddy's stipulation. Me? I didn't care. Heart and brain were what got me. And apparently, this guy had them both. Go figure. I got into the passenger's seat of the Impala and looked over at him as he got into the driver's seat. "Nice ride. Costly, too…"

He looked at me with a proud grin on his face. "Thanks. It was a gift from my dad, actually. You know…the fatherly rite of passage car thing…" he ran his hand over the dashboard, then put the key into the ignition. "I like to think I maintain it quite well…" he turned the key over.

I shrugged my shoulders and listened carefully to the car as it started. "Sounds like a bit of carburetor trouble to me, though. I mean…hear that noise?" I asked, as both Rick and I went silent. "That's the carburetor, all right. It'd suck if that blew on you…" I shrugged my shoulders and laughed lightly. "None of my business, but…you know."

He looked slightly annoyed, but like he was trying to hide it. Most guys didn't like to be corrected, or told what was what by women when it came to cars, anyway. It was completely understandable, though, because I wouldn't want Rick to tell me that my clothes didn't exactly compliment my eyes as much as I wanted them to. "I'll look into that," he simply said.

Well, at least he wasn't a male chauvinist about it. You may be asking why I knew about cars. Well, I used to have an old beat up Jaguar, and I worked with a mechanic, my boyfriend at the time, to fix it. I learned all the noises that cars should and shouldn't make, and how to fix them when they started making said noises. "Sooner than later, probably. It sounds kind of serious. I'm just saying…trying to save you money in the future."

He nodded his head and half-smiled, and turned the radio on. No sooner had the dial turned, than I wanted to hit myself in the head with a lead pipe. Seventies and eighties rock. Nothing modern. The whole way to my house, we listened to Skynard, Zepplin and Motorhead. And I wanted to punch the window out of the gorgeous car. But I didn't. Instead, I practically jumped out when we stopped. "You're welcome to come in for a quick lunch if you'd like. We're gonna have kind of a busy afternoon, you know?"

He smiled and got out of the car, shutting the door behind him. "I think I might. Thank you, Laine…" he said as he followed me into the house, and as soon as I opened the door, we were face-to-face with my father, and…Zara was standing over his shoulder? With a guy who looked like he'd just faced the wrath of Kahn. Yeah, that was my father's wrath, all right. "When did you get home?!" I asked Zara.

The guy with her stood up when he saw Rick. "Dean? Dude I'm so glad to--"

I whirled around. "Dean? But…" I raised an eyebrow and looked at Rick. "No…" I narrowed my eyes. "Rick fucking Astley my ass. I can't believe I fell for that shit!" I brushed past daddy and into the house, storming up the stairs and looking down, just in time to see daddy push the kid Zara was with out the door. Zara seemed torn up about it, but really.

I heard her crying out for him not to do it, and then I heard her shout, "If he has to go, I'm fucking leaving too!"

Shock befell my face as I walked back down a couple of steps, and heard daddy say, "Fine then. I'm sick and tired of your antics, anyway, Zara Priscilla. Get out of this house, do you understand? Wait outside. I'll have Elaine get your things," he shouted in his gruff voice. I'd heard him threaten things like that before. But…this time, both he and Zara sounded serious. And it became all the more real when he came to the stairs and looked up at me. "Elaine, go get some of Zara's things, please. As many as you can put into a small duffel…" I opened my mouth to object, but he glared up at me. "I have had enough of my name being tarnished by my 'I see ghosts' daughter. Now, do it, or suffer the same fate, Elaine Ophelia."

I turned around and walked toward Zara's room. Zara…had done some stupid things in her lifetime. Really stupid. But this…had to be the worst. I took a small duffel from her closet and started putting clothes into it, then a couple of pairs of flats, some hair ties, a toothbrush, and a giant wad of money from her jewelry box, since I knew daddy wouldn't. I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from her desk and scribbled her a quick note, to let her know that I was thinking of ways to get her out of this, then started toward the stairs. I…needed to get her out of this, but…daddy wasn't going to budge. He was just too stubborn. Yes, Zara had really done it this time…


	4. Chapter 4: Disenchanted

I looked on as Sam consoled the Desrosiers girl, and then he looked at me as if he…oh, no. He wasn't suggesting that we…take on some prissy little princess who had probably never even held a weapon in her life, was he? He was. I shook my head at him, and he gave me this look that suggested that he'd whine and plead if I didn't let her come with us. Right. Like that was going to convince me. I opened the hood of the Impala to check out what had been making that noise that the other Desrosiers girl had pointed out to me. I sighed. I'd been thatclose to getting into the Desrosiers house for lunch…that would have given me plenty of time to check the place out for whatever spirit was causing the trouble. But no, Sam HAD to use my name and blow my cover with Laine. And Laine. Was it really necessary for her to react like that?

I rolled my eyes as I searched for anything out of the ordinary beneath the hood. Turns out the carburetor wasn't properly connected and the fuel line was broken. Well, it was a good thing Laine wasn't there to see me reconnecting it…

"Told you it was the carburetor, _Astley_," I heard Laine's voice practically spitting from the door. She walked past me, up to her sister, and handed her a duffel bag. "Listen, I don't trust these two barbarians," she looked at Sam, "as far as I can throw them, so if you're going to stay with them, take really good care of yourself, okay? I left you some clothes, some hygiene stuff and some cash…"

I tuned out after that. So, rich bitch had left her little sister some money in that duffel bag. Maybe it wouldn't be so horrible to have her along for the ride. I walked over to Sam, Laine and Zara. "Here's the deal, bro. If we're keeping princess with us? You need to train her. You're responsible for her safety. She's sticking with YOU through all of this…" I looked at Zara. "You're waking HIM up at two a.m. when you're scared. You're begging HIM to be a security guard. Got it?"

She nodded, and I think I had scared her a bit. I hadn't meant to. "Listen, princess, I'm sorry, okay? This, I just wasn't expecting to have a third…person tagging along with us. But it's okay. We'll look out for you. Don't worry Laine…" I said as I looked to her older sister, who…it was really unfortunate that I'd been caught in a lie with. Because she was…something. She seemed kind of like hunter material, almost. She had an attitude, and she was strong, but I did too. She didn't look like the average, everyday rich bitch. And she had a really nice face when she smiled. And…I really had to remember not to say any of this aloud.

She really wasn't smiling in my direction at that point, anyway. But really, I couldn't blame her. I'd lied to her. Told her my name was…Rick Astley? That was probably one of my lamest cover-ups. Eighties pop singer? I'd have to remember that those? Didn't work. I didn't apologize, because it just wasn't my style. And I really didn't feel like I had anything to apologize for, either. She looked at me, her eyes narrowed. "Don't talk to her like that, okay? Listen, Zara…" she put her hand on her younger sister's arm. I understood the sibling protection thing, and in this case, it was even more necessary. I wasn't sure Zara understood what she was getting herself into. "Don't let these guys talk down to you okay? I put my cell phone in there. Call me on yours if you need me. Promise?"

I watched Zara nod, and Sam stepped up. "You know, just because Dean lied to you, doesn't mean we're bad people…" he rolled his eyes a little. "And I won't let your sister get hurt, either. So…" he and Zara exchanged small smiles. Yeah, there was going to be something going on there, sooner than later, I was sure.

Laine rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Zara shrugged her shoulders. "I trust these guys. Sam saved my life last night, Laine. I was going to be attacked by a werewolf and he--" she scoffed as Laine rolled her eyes. "Dude, don't roll your eyes at me, Laine. They're REAL, okay? I swear, sometimes you're just as closed minded as daddy. Just leave me alone."

I grinned, then watched as Laine rolled her eyes. She did look hurt, though. Which was kind of sad. This whole situation was sad, really. "We need to hit the road, unless we want Daddy Desrosiers on our asses…" I suggested, watching as Zara nodded and headed toward the back door of my car, and as Sam followed, opening the passenger's side door. "I need to go to the garage anyway."

Laine chuckled and raised her eyebrows, grinning wryly. "Make sure you get that carburetor fixed. You don't want to kill my sister…" she crossed her arms at her chest and flipped some of her hair over her shoulder.

I groaned and made my way to the car. "Yeah, thanks for that…" I said softly as I sat in the driver's seat and shut the door. "Well, Sam, we had the Desrosiers house. But I guess we lost it," I sighed and looked at him. "I thought I'd taught you better than to just call me 'Dean' the first when I walk in with a--"

Sam's eyes narrowed. "Hey! How was I supposed to know? I didn't know that was her! Zara and I didn't exchange last names, okay? Winchester, by the way…" he grinned as he looked over the seat at Zara.

My eyes were wide. "You didn't exchange last names? Wow, Sam…next time you want to go off and work alone, remind me not to let you. We were almost THERE and now we're screwed!" I hit the steering wheel. I hated it when this happened. I started the car and headed out of the Desrosiers' driveway.

Zara cleared her throat and I looked into the rear view mirror. "Almost had what? I'm sorry, but I'm about as clueless as the day is long. I know you guys are hunters or whatever, I figured that out when Sam shot that werewolf and it died, because…only hunters would know how to kill a werewolf," she shrugged. So, she was a little smarter than I suspected. That was…somewhat refreshing. "But I mean, you almost had what?"

I looked at Sam. This was his forte. He'd practically begged to bring the girl along with us, after all. He looked clulessly at me. Yeah, he didn't exactly KNOW what we were doing there. "Well, I'm sure you know what's been going on in your house, right? At least I'd hope. With the disappearing maids and everything?" I heard her mumble in agreement and continued. "Well, we don't think it's all copasetic. I mean--"

She shrugged and ran a hand through her hair. "I think it's a Wendigo."

I raised an eyebrow. The only other people I had heard speak the word 'Wendigo' were my dad and Sam. I nodded, though. That was what Sam and I speculated. "Yeah, we were looking over the reports and we were kind of surprised that nothing had happened to you or Laine yet. But, do you guys go out into the woods a lot?"

She shook her head. "No. And that's where all the workers were when they disappeared. I don't know…it's really weird."

Sam looked at me, a little smug look on his face. So, she knew her stuff. It wouldn't be that bad then. I pulled over onto the side of the road in the middle of town, and looked at Zara. "Listen. Sam's gonna have to teach you to shoot a gun…you guys can find a place to do that while I go get the car looked at, okay?" I looked at the two of them.

This was going to be an interesting hunt. Especially now, since I knew that Zara wasn't going to want to leave until we got this wendigo away from her family. Not that I really blamed her. I watched as she and Sam walked off, and ran a hand through my hair. Yeah, it was going to be interesting, all right. And this was just the beginning.


End file.
